America used to be a pioneer in democratizing culture.
Paul Starr
Paul Starr is co-founder and co-editor of The American Prospect, and professor of sociology and public affairs at Princeton University. A winner of the Pulitzer Prize for General Nonfiction and the Bancroft Prize in American history, he is the author of eight books, including American Contradiction: Revolution and Revenge from the 1950s to Now (Yale University Press, October 2025).
Posted inMoney, Politics, and Power
Capture the Media, Control the Culture?
Trump’s attack on Jimmy Kimmel helps spotlight an even bigger problem.
Posted inBooks
How Today’s America Came About
Two different accounts from two of the Prospect’s co-founders
Posted inPolitics
The Premature Guide to Post-Trump Reform
American history offers three general strategies of repair and renewal.
Posted inEducation in America
Why Are Republicans Planning to Tax University Endowments More Heavily Than Other Forms of Private Wealth?
There isn’t a legitimate public purpose. The intent is punitive and political.
Posted inHealth and Social Policy
The Exemplary Radical Skeptic
Christopher Jencks, one of the Prospect’s founding group, has died.
Posted inPolitics
2024’s Foreseeable Unforeseens
What many refused to see in the last election becomes clearer day by day.
Posted inLaw and Justice
The Social Triumph and Political Tragedy of Immigration
Even if you think immigration is good, you must consider the people who don’t.
Posted inPolitics
What Should Democrats Say to Young Men?
Young men appear to be drifting right. Ignoring them means trouble.
Posted inLaw and Justice
The Supreme Court’s License for Presidential Vengeance
The Court’s ruling on presidential immunity makes us all vulnerable.